This month saw the passing of psychologist Walter Mischel, best known for his famed “marshmallow experiment” on delayed gratification. The marshmallow experiment became a symbol of the power of delayed gratification for life success. What does this mean for your finances? For starters, don’t rely on willpower for achieving your money goals. Instead spend that energy reshaping a single healthier habit next month.

We recently took a dive into the how and why of creating a budget. Now we’ll look at how to actually stick to that shiny new budget. Here’s the secret: it all begins with spending awareness. You can’t master your spending unless you first understand how you’re actually spending. The more aware you are of your spending, the more control you’ll have over your money.

It’s official: the U.S. stock market has entered the longest bull market in its history. Since the stock market hit bottom in March 2009 during the financial crisis, U.S. stocks are up well over 300%. What does this mean for you? What goes up must come down. It’s inevitable the stock market will experience a downturn, and plenty of economists are predicting sooner rather than later. Here are three things you can be doing now to prepare for the next bear market.

Nearly 30% of married women in the U.S. now earn more than their husbands. This reversal of the traditional norm of male breadwinners can lead to conflict, depression, and downright awkwardness, as both The New York Times and The Huffington Post examined this month in worthwhile articles. But the reality is any substantial income disparity within couples — regardless of gender — invites friction. Here’s how couples with an income disparity can develop a more unified front for their finances:

Budgeting can be a drag. You don’t get to spend as much as you’d like on the things you want, and yet you still worry about whether there’s enough left over for essentials like saving and debt payments. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m going to introduce you to the one-number budget, which flips budgeting on its head and frees you to set aside money for your day-to-day spending.

The new tax laws are projected to decrease charitable giving by $17 billion (or 4%) in 2018 — blame the larger standard deduction, which more taxpayers will take instead of itemizing deductions like charitable donations. It’s now more important than ever to manage your finances wisely so you can support worthy causes. Here’s how to be smart and intentional with your giving.